Retraining the Mind
I repeatedly refer to The Infinite Way by Joel Goldsmith. Whenever I feel that I am not sufficiently progressing towards the spiritual awareness I desire, I find passages that let me know that I am being judgmental and self-condemning. Enlightenment is not a static condition, a place where you arrive and remain in eternity. Life in all its forms ebbs and flows, dies and is resurrected. The nature of existence is change.
Joel Goldsmith states: “Spiritual illumination may be attained by living constantly in the consciousness of the presence of perfection, by the continual translation of the visible picture into the reality. We are being faced with discordant appearances all through our days and nights, and these must immediately be translated through our understanding of the ‘new tongue,’ the language of Spirit.
Translate the pictures and incidents of daily existence into the new tongue, the language of Spirit, and consciousness will expand until translation occurs without even taking thought. It becomes a habitual state of consciousness, a constant awareness of Truth.”
Many mornings, I wake up worried about my finances. How will I pay my bills this month? It is challenging to keep my mind stayed on Reality and not be distracted by the Illusion of my daily visible pictures. Utilizing various tools, I analogize a given situation to the suggestion for monitoring alcohol consumption at a party: one glass of water to one glass of wine. As I worry, I replace anxious thoughts with exercising, reading, listening to inspirational music, writing, meditating, or stating a mantra “This isn’t my Reality” or “As the Principle of Supply in action, it is impossible for me to have any needs or unfulfilled desires.” The latter is taken from The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price.
Worrying can become so constant that it becomes an unconscious normal state of mind. Thus, I have to incorporate new habits of thinking throughout the day with every activity. While driving, when I think my car is overdue for maintenance that I can’t afford, I switch to giving thanks that my car is still running, getting me to and from where I need and desire to go. As I walk, instead of focusing on all of the undone items on my to-do list, I am thankful that I am able to walk unassisted. I revel in the beauty that surrounds me. Thank God for my sight! When I hear a song, I think of happy memories associated with it. I change the station if a song is not pleasing to me.